Honoring North Jersey’s Law Enforcement

In recognition of National Police Week, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) released the following statement:

“During this National Police Week, and throughout the year, we thank and honor the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day to keep our families safe. Day-in and day out, the brave men and women in uniform help protect us from crime and homegrown lone-wolf terrorism, and they continue to go above and beyond to safeguard our communities during the coronavirus pandemic. North Jersey’s law enforcement never fails to answer the call, and in Congress I’m fighting to ensure they have all the resources and equipment they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. I will always get the backs of Jersey’s law enforcement, just as they get ours.”

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Gottheimer scored a perfect 100% from the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), according to their 2019 116th Congress Mid-Term Legislative Scorecard. NAPO represents more than 1,000 police units, including the New Jersey State PBA, and more than 241,000 sworn law enforcement officers across the country. 

To support North Jersey’s law enforcement throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Gottheimer is cosponsoring new bipartisan legislation — the Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Emergency Situations Act of 2020 — which would provide a federal income tax holiday for four months to law enforcement officers, corrections officers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, pharmacists, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, doctors, hospital and licensed medical facility support staff, and senior care facility staff during the coronavirus outbreak. This bipartisan bill is modeled after the tax holiday that members of the military receive while they are actively serving in a combat zone.

Gottheimer has also led a bipartisan group of New Jersey’s House Members urging the President to support New Jersey’s first responders as they combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) — by fulfilling the State of New Jersey’s request for personal protective equipment (PPE) from the Strategic National Stockpile, ensuring COVID-19 testing be made available to first responders serving on the front lines, ensuring local public safety departments are adequately staffed and equipped, and supporting volunteer departments in need of supplemental personnel.

During this Congress, Gottheimer proudly cosponsored H.R. 2379 — bipartisan Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program legislation — which passed Congress and was signed into law, to reauthorize a federal program that helps state and local law enforcement agencies purchase bulletproof vests for officers working in the field. 

Gottheimer was also an original cosponsor of bipartisan legislation signed into law by the President in 2019 — the Never Forget the Heroes Act — to permanently authorize the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and provide long-overdue support to cover 9/11 survivors’ and first responders’ injuries, lost earnings, benefits, and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, Co-Chaired by Gottheimer, endorsed the bill earlier in 2019 and called for swift floor passage with bipartisan support.

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